Rebirth
by Sigil
Summary: AU of the Jedi Academy Trilogy. Kyp turns to the dark side and becomes Emperor. Five years later, Corran, Wedge, Han, Leia, and the kids set out to stop him with the help of a young Obi-Wan Kenobi.
1. Default Chapter

Rebirth: Prologue  
  
Something was wrong. Luke could feel it. He had just sent Kyp Durron to the blue-leaf temple for his final test. He could feel the disturbance that came from Kyp using the dark side against his own brother. Discouraged, he let his head fall forward into his arms. So much for second chances.  
  
He sighed and started to get up from where he had been meditating on top of the Jedi Temple when he heard the drone of repulsor lifts. *How did he get here so fast?* He ran to the edge of the temple top to see a ship hurriedly headed for the sky. He could sense that Kyp was in the ship - and mad. Luke groaned and sprinted toward the turbolift, hoping that he could get to a ship in time to stop Kyp. *Like that's going to happen..* He could tell that it was useless to try, for even as he ran, he felt Kyp's ship leave the atmosphere. Luke stretched out with the Force to try to tell what Kyp planned to do and immediately ran faster. He couldn't believe it. He thought that Kyp hated the Empire! Why would he want to rebuild it?  
  
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A few hours later, light-years away at Coruscant, the political leaders of Coruscant were having a meeting. Leia Organa Solo was on a vacation and they needed somebody to take over as Chief of State until she got back. Suddenly, gas hissed out of the air vents. Everyone in the room was killed instantly.  
  
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Two days later, Admiral Daala looked up from her desk to see her aide coming in with a familiar-looking young man. She opened her mouth to reprimand her aide for not informing her of a visitor, when she felt invisible fingers close around her throat. She slumped forward onto her desk as she heard the man saying to her aide, "Set a course for Coruscant. I am in command now." She felt the fingers release her throat as blackness bordered her vision and then she remembered nothing at all.  
  
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Luke took a detour to the comm unit to send a message to Coruscant. He had to warn the Senate! But even as he sent the message, he could feel the deaths on Coruscant and knew that he was too late. Kyp had already destroyed the Senate and would now be headed for Admiral Daala's fleet -- or what was left of it. Kyp would probably try to get other warlords to side with him so that he would have more ships. He quickly sent a different message, warning Coruscant that Kyp would be attacking with Daala's fleet.  
  
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Back on Coruscant, all was chaos. Someone had discovered the Senate dead and now news of Luke Skywalker's warning was beginning to leak out. They put together their forces as quickly as possible, but it was too late. The Republic's fleet had been called away to settle an uprising on a Rim world. No one could recall giving the order. The Empire's fleet swept in and, within an hour, Coruscant was once again Imperial Center and Kyp was the Emperor. He issued an order that all rebels be captured or killed. Soon, all rebels were in hiding or dead. Leia and Han had received a warning from Luke that Kyp had taken over and they simply disappeared. Luke took a one-way trip to the Unknown Regions and was not seen for quite some time.  
  
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Five years later  
  
Corran Horn sighed as he watched his son Valin play on the floor. Mirax, Corran, and Valin had smuggled themselves into Corellia shortly before news of Kyp's takeover reached them. Valin had only been a few months old at the time. Corran had changed his name to Tisruc and Mirax had changed her name to Lios. They had pretended to be loyal to the Empire and had moved to a loyal world. They didn't want to be found if they got caught in an uprising on a rebel planet.  
  
Corran glanced out the window and saw a mover's speeder getting unloaded and the repulsor chairs and other furniture carried into the house next door. He had known for some time that they were getting a new neighbor; the old residents had disappeared one night and rumors had been flying that they were Rebels who had been discovered.  
  
Corran frowned. He was feeling something through the Force. Whoever was about to get out of the second speeder was someone he knew. He reached out to the Force, trying to pinpoint the familiar aura.  
  
Suddenly, Corran's eyes flew open, and he sat down quickly on the hovercouch. Mirax, still decidedly paranoid after five years of hiding, was by his side in an instant.  
  
"What's wrong?" She asked, tense.  
  
Corran looked up at her. "It's Wedge." He whispered.  
  
"What's Wedge?" She was now definitely confused.  
  
"Wedge! I.He's next door!"  
  
Mirax laid a hand on his forehead. "Are you feeling alright? I think the stress is finally getting to you. Rogue Squadron's dead, Corran."  
  
Corran groaned. "You don't understand. He's alive! I can feel him."  
  
She gave him another skeptical look.  
  
He rolled his eyes. "Fine, don't believe me. Let's just go see our new neighbor, all right?"  
  
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Wedge looked around his new house and sighed. It was better than nothing, but it wasn't home. His home had always been the Rebellion or the New Republic. He quickly directed the movers where to put his stuff. They kept on dropping things. Movers these days.  
  
Wedge glanced out the window and groaned to himself. His neighbors were coming over to say hi. The last thing he needed was nosy people poking their noses in his business - especially if these neighbors found out too much.  
  
One of the movers glanced over at his irate customer. All the man had done was yell at them the entire time they were trying to carry his stuff in. People these days.  
  
The movers had finished arranging his few possessions in the wrong places, so Wedge paid them and they left. A few seconds later, the doorbell rang. Wedge sighed and opened the door. His new neighbors were standing outside with huge smiles on their faces and some kind of burnt casserole in their arms.  
  
"Hi! You must be our new neighbor!" the man said. "We live right next door and thought we'd bring something over. I'm Tisruc and this is Lios and Valin."  
  
"And I'm Jaraj." Wedge replied. Valin. Hadn't that been Corran Horn's father's name? He couldn't shake the feeling that these two were hiding something. "Come on in."  
  
The family made themselves comfortable on Wedge's misplaced furniture. After a few minutes of polite chatter, the conversation turned to the Rebellion.  
  
"So, did you hear about Rogue Squadron getting destroyed? Isn't that great? Someone finally managed to stop those monsters." Tisruc said, watching him closely.  
  
Wedge felt rage boiling up inside of him. Rogue Squadron hadn't been entirely destroyed in the attack as most people thought that it had, but they had lost a lot of pilots from other squadrons and a few from Rogue.  
  
Wedge got himself under control enough to say, "Yeah. It was just a matter of time, huh?" Suddenly, Tisruc burst into laughter.  
  
"What's so funny?" Wedge demanded.  
  
"You! You're still so readable, Wedge."  
  
Wedge looked at the man suspiciously. "What makes you think that my name is Wedge?" He asked cautiously.  
  
"I can't believe you don't recognize me, Wedge." Tisruc said reproachfully. "Especially after all that time -- the whole Krytos problem, Lusankya."  
  
"Corran?" Wedge gasped with sudden recognition. "I heard you were dead!"  
  
"Well, I heard the same thing about you, so I guess that makes us even. What really happened to Rogue Squadron?"  
  
Wedge just stared at him.  
  
"Uh, Home Base to Wedge. Anybody home?"  
  
Wedge jerked himself out of his trance. "You're alive!" He said with amazement.  
  
"Last time I checked, yeah. You okay, Wedge?"  
  
"Yeah, sure. Just fine. You're alive!"  
  
"Oookay. I think we've already established that. Now, where's Rogue Squadron? If you're alive, I assume that they are too."  
  
Wedge shook himself. "Right. Well, we were ambushed on our way to Kessel. We were sent to make sure that certain criminals were still residents. As we passed through the Maw, a Star Destroyer came out and launched some TIEs. We'd been flying with Wraith Squadron and Key Squadron. Key Squadron was entirely destroyed. We lost a few of the newer pilots in Wraith and Rogue, but most of us survived. There had been a few assassination attempts on Rogue Squadron pilots, so Key Squadron was flying in Rogue colors. I'm assuming that's why everyone says that all the Rogues were destroyed." He paused, looking at his guests. "I can't believe I didn't know it was you. That burnt casserole should have been a major tipoff. Mirax never could cook casseroles."  
  
"Very funny." Mirax growled. "I don't recall you ever being able to cook very well, either."  
  
"So where is everybody?" Corran asked.  
  
"Last I heard, you're dead, Kell, Tyria, Face, and Dia are hiding out on Tatooine, Gavin's on Bothawui with Asyr, Hobbie and Wes are training troops in some Rebel hideout, Tycho's with Booster on the Errant Venture trying to rally more troops, and everyone else is skipping around the galaxy trying not to get caught. Luke, Han, and Leia have disappeared."  
  
"So why haven't you joined Wes and Hobbie? I'm sure they'd be glad to have to famous Wedge Antilles."  
  
Wedge's response was somewhere between a laugh and a sigh. "Well, it certainly isn't for lack of trying. The new Rebels' hideout is so well hidden, I can't find it. I've tried just about every old Rebel base I can think of, but there were so many I don't even remember them all."  
  
"Have you tried leaving messages at cantinas and other places?" Corran asked.  
  
"Yeah, I tried that. After the first few times, I gave up. I got chased off of those worlds as soon as the locals heard I was looking for Rebels. Nobody wants their world to be under Kyp's eye."  
  
"Well--" Corran hesitated. "I might be able to sense them. I mean, I was able to sense you. I just don't know how accurate it will be or how close I'll have to be."  
  
"Can you sense them from here?" Wedge asked excitedly.  
  
Corran frowned. "I don't know. I've never tried." Clearing his mind, he closed his eyes and reached deep within himself. He could feel Mirax, Valin, and Wedge in the room, but he tore himself away from them and concentrated on the aura he knew was Wes. After a few tense minutes, he opened his eyes.  
  
"I feel something. I'm not entirely sure it's them, but it sure feels like it." His eyes seemed to be looking off into the distance - and then he promptly lost his lunch on the floor. Wiping his mouth, he looked up at the other occupants of the room. "Big battle going on around them. Wes just lost a pilot."  
  
"Can you take me to them?" Wedge asked eagerly.  
  
"Yeah. That last emotion helped me pinpoint their location. They're on Borleias."  
  
"Borleias? Why would they go back to Blackmoon? That's too close to Coruscant!" Wedge cried.  
  
"Maybe they're there for the same reason we were - to drive Coreward." Mirax spoke up for the first time.  
  
"Well, whatever they're doing, at least now we know where to find them. We'd better get going before they decide to move."  
  
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Wes Janson stared in disbelief at the scientist in front of him. What in the galaxy was this idiot talking about? Bringing people in from different time lines - it shouldn't be possible. At the moment, Wes couldn't be sure that this wasn't some elaborate joke - and at the moment he didn't really care. All he wanted was a couple days worth of sleep.  
  
"What are you trying to say? In Basic this time, please." Wes asked, still trying to understand what the scientist was saying. This wasn't easy, since this particular man seemed to enjoy using words that no one could understand.  
  
"Because of a flux in the space-time continuum, I have been able to calibrate an old project of mine to accept chanra waves." The scientist said impatiently, still trying to put his thoughts into words that the pilot could understand.  
  
"And chanra waves are.?"  
  
"Time waves. I came up with the name myself. This is a major breakthrough. I have been trying to do this for years!" The scientist practically squealed with delight.  
  
"So basically, what you're saying is that there is a flux in the space-time thingamajig and now we can disrupt time." Janson tried to fit his mind around the idea.  
  
"Not quite. We can't send ourselves into a certain time, but we can bring someone out of another time. Oh, and the flux should last about ten years, so we can do it any time we want."  
  
"Why did you have to tell me - and why now?" Janson groaned.  
  
"But, general, you're in charge here. And General Klivian is unavailable at the moment."  
  
Hobbie's probably just smart enough not to start talking to scientists right after a mission. Janson sighed. "All right, then. Talk to me in the morning. Then we can decide who to pull."  
Corran stared out of the viewport at the world of Borleias. It had been years since he'd been back here. It brought back memories of the battles fought - and lost - above the planet.  
  
Shaking away those thoughts, he turned to ask Wedge, "How long until we get there?"  
  
Wedge laughed, in good spirits now that he would be rejoining the Rebellion. "You sound like a kid. I take it that it bothers you as much as it does me not to be flying the ship you're in?"  
  
"Yeah. You sure you won't let me fly?" He pleaded.  
  
"Nope. My ship, my rules." Wedge said with a self-satisfied grin. "Keep your senses open. I'd like to know a general location so we won't have to search the whole planet."  
  
"Got 'em!" Corran cried triumphantly.  
  
"Really?!" Wedge asked.  
  
"Gotcha." Corran replied. Wedge gave him his best 'displeased general' glare and turned back to the controls.  
  
"Alright, this time I really have them. Major life readings coming from Grid 12."  
  
Wedge zoomed in on the spot and set the ship down on a flat area on the rocky tableau. "Well, let's go see if you're right."  
  
The two exited the ship and began looking around for signs of an entrance. Corran reached out to the Force for signs of life - and found some.  
  
"Over here!" He called, and bent down to pull on a cleverly disguised lever. Instantly, a small door popped open and the pair was surrounded by soldiers. Evidently their approach had been closely monitored.  
  
The leader of the soldiers pulled out a comlink and spoke a few words into it. He listened for a few seconds, and then turned back to the group. "All right. Take the prisoners inside. The general wants to take a look at them."  
  
Corran and Wedge were forced at blaster-point to walk into the dimly lit opening and into a huge cave, where mechanics were crawling over ships that no sane person would fly in, and droids were scurrying around, trying to help, but most of the time just getting in the way. Then they were swiftly taken to a smaller cave connected to the larger one. Inside, an extremely tired and disheveled General Wes Janson blinked at his guests through bleary eyes. "Who's this, Lieutenant?"  
  
"Prisoners, sir. We found them snooping outside."  
  
For the first time, Wes really looked at the prisoners. "Wedge?" He asked in amazement, rubbing sleep out of his eyes. "How did you.I thought you were.You're dead!" Wes spluttered.  
  
Corran cast a glance at Wedge. "Do we have to go through this again?" He complained.  
  
Janson turned his attention to his other guest. "Corran?!" He demanded. "But.You're dead, too!" He turned to the lieutenant. "Am I hallucinating? 'Cause I think I might be a little more tired than I thought."  
  
"I can't tell you that, sir. You seem to be in perfect health." He replied. "Perhaps you're a little tired, but --"  
  
"Never mind, Lieutenant. It was a rhetorical question." Janson turned his attention back to his guests. "Boy, am I glad you showed up."  
  
"What do you mean?" Wedge asked. "What's happened since I was gone?"  
  
Janson leaned back and pressed the heel of his palm into his eyes. "We've been doing hit-and-runs on the Empire. Hop in, hit cargo ships, and run. Last time, though, they were ready. We came out of hyperspace right on top of a Star Destroyer. My pilots weren't fully trained, and we lost half of our fighting force. And then, when we got back, some kooky scientist tried to tell me about this invention of his that can supposedly pull people from the past. Naturally, he couldn't speak in Basic, but he finally managed to tell me this without using the typical scientific psychobabble. Now, I have to figure out who to pull, whether or not this experiment will blow up in our faces, and oh, did I mention I haven't slept for two days?"  
  
Wedge just stared at him.  
  
Janson sighed. "In other words, would you please accept command? Please, please, please, please, please? I'll try as hard as I can not to make fun of you any more than I used to. Please?"  
  
Wedge couldn't help but laugh. "Wes, it's good to be back. You haven't changed a bit."  
  
Janson forced a puzzled look onto his face. "Is that a compliment, or an insult?" he demanded.  
Wedge squinted in the sunlight streaming through his windows and rolled over, trying to get away from the glare. Wait a minute.I don't have any windows. "Janson!!" He yelled.  
  
A strange noise came to his ears - something like a mix between a bantha lowing and a repulsorlift whining. This particular noise was all too familiar to the former general. Wes Janson was trying his hardest not to laugh.  
  
Wedge sat up, directing a disapproving glare in the approximate area of the glow lamp aimed at his face - only to find that Janson was on the other side of the room. He quickly turned and opened his mouth, when Janson squealed, "I know who to pull! I know who to pull!"  
  
Wedge groaned and decided to save his speech for later. "Well, who?" He demanded.  
  
"General Kenobi! We'll take him when he's in his prime and sic him on Kyp!" Janson was so excited, he was jumping from foot to foot.  
  
"All right, all right. Does your scientist guy have his time thingy hooked up?"  
  
"Yes, Dr. Bellix has his chanra wave disruptor up and going." Janson teased.  
  
"Whatever. Just give me a minute and I'll be down there. Couldn't you have waited another hour?" Wedge groaned.  
  
"Nope." Janson grinned and bounced out of the room.  
  
*That guy has way too much energy*, Wedge thought as he dragged himself out of bed and grabbed his shirt off a chair.  
  
60 years earlier.  
  
Fourteen-year -old Obi-Wan Kenobi stared uneasily out the viewport at Borleias. The Jedi Council had received a distress call from the Borleian Senator, Lehc Mise, requesting a Jedi bodyguard for his trip back to Coruscant. Mise had been on vacation on his homeworld, and, according to his call, he feared for his life from Borleian radicals. Their leader, Esim Chel, had apparently sent out an order that called for the Senator's head. Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn and his Padawan, Obi-Wan, had been chosen to escort the Senator safely to Coruscant.  
  
Despite the fact that this was a simple escort mission, Obi-Wan couldn't shake his nervousness about the mission ahead. While he very rarely went on a mission without feeling a few butterflies in his stomach, a mission so easy should not have made him this edgy.  
  
The Jedi's descent to the planet was easy-almost too easy. Obi-Wan had halfway expected the radicals to try to shoot them out of the air before they could get to the Senator, but they made it to the surface unchallenged. Once they had landed in a small forest clearing outside the main city, Ropah, Qui-Gon turned to Obi-Wan, a concerned expression on his face. "Are you all right, Padawan?" He asked, his brows furrowed.  
  
"There's something wrong. I.it's too easy. It just seems like." Obi-Wan struggled to describe his feelings. Something was definitely wrong.  
  
"I feel it, too. If Chel has so much power on this planet, why didn't he try to stop us?" Qui-Gon glanced at the open hatch. "Well, the Senator is waiting. Perhaps he can clear things up."  
  
The Jedi walked down the ramp, stretching their senses for any sign of danger. Standing a few feet from the ship was Lehc Mise, dressed in his Senatorial robes. "Ah, the Jedi." He said, making the title Jedi sound like a curse. "So, your Council received my distress call? They are fools for sending you. Now, I will destroy you the way your kind destroyed my family!"  
  
He raised a clenched fist and instantly, blaster fire began to rain down from the trees and the clearing was filled with soldiers. Behind the Jedi, soldiers stepped in front of the ship's ramp, blocking the only escape route. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan drew their lightsabers and deflected the shots back the way they came. Soldiers, hit by their own fire, toppled from trees and landed on their comrades on the ground.  
  
Despite their skill, it soon became obvious that the Jedi were outnumbered. Back to back in the middle of a circle of soldiers, with more hidden enemies in the trees surrounding them, Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon were swiftly tiring. Qui-Gon was still sore from a blaster bolt to the leg on his last mission, and the battle was not helping.  
  
Suddenly, Qui-Gon's leg gave way altogether. Distracted for one crucial moment, a blaster bolt struck him in the heart.  
  
Obi-Wan felt his master's death and turned, horror etched on his features. A bolt struck him in the leg, and then one more came through his defenses and buried itself in his chest. The boy collapsed, giving himself to the Force, as blackness filled his vision.  
Now.  
  
Wedge stared dubiously at the time machine. It looked more like a mad scientist's refresher than anything else. He resolved to be standing behind Corran, Wes, and Hobbie when the thing was turned on.  
  
Dr. Bellix was busy with last minute preparations, programming the time frame they wanted to pull General Kenobi from, doing systems checks, and who knew what else. He seemed to be off in his own little world, humming to himself, laughing from time to time, and muttering to his machine.  
  
Finally, everything was ready. Nervously, Dr. Bellix flipped the power switch.and all the diagnostic lights turned green. Everyone in the room breathed out a breath they hadn't realized they were holding. Much to Wedge's dismay, Dr. Bellix looked more relieved than anyone, as if he had expected his project to blow up in his face. The scientist flipped a few more switches and turned to look at his creation. "Any minute now." He whispered, excitement shining in his face.  
  
The time machine began to glow and shake with the effort.and then a blue lightsaber appeared, jutting out of the side of the machine. It didn't appear entirely real, and the machine seemed to strain.  
  
Dr. Bellix moaned, "My baby!" and promptly fainted as the lights went out. The time machine had pulled power from the glow panels to fuel its mission. The beam of light swept to the side, cutting through the time machine like it was flimsiplast.  
  
Corran stepped forward, igniting his silver lightsaber, and blocked the blue saber. He motioned at Wedge to open the machine's door, and Wedge complied. The door opened to reveal.a fourteen-year-old boy. He glanced around wildly, still holding his lightsaber in a lock with Corran's. One glow panel sent out a faint light - just enough for the boy to see by. He looked at Corran - and instantly backed off and shut down his lightsaber, bowing.  
  
"Master Halcyon! Where did you.? I thought you were. What.?" He pulled himself together. "Master Halcyon, Qui-Gon's.He's d-dead. Mise set a trap. I.I thought I was dead, too. How did you." The backup generator kicked in, and the lights turned back on. The boy stared at Corran.  
  
"You're not Master Halcyon!" He cried. He looked around the room, taking in the military uniforms and equipment. Almost unconsciously, he went into a fighter's crouch.  
  
"Halcyon.You don't mean Nejaa Halcyon, do you?" Corran asked cautiously.  
  
The boy nodded warily. "But Master Halcyon's older than you. Who are you? Where am I? Where's my Master? Why did you kidnap me?" He demanded. He was really getting scared, and it didn't help that the Force was telling him to trust these people, despite what they had done.  
  
"We didn't kidnap you. I.maybe I should let Janson explain." He turned toward the baby-faced man in the corner, who mock-glared at him and walked forward.  
  
"Thanks a lot, Corran." He growled. "But I think first we need an explanation. Who are you, kid, and where's General Kenobi?"  
  
"I-I'm Obi-Wan Kenobi, Padawan to Qui-Gon Jinn." He seemed to wince at his master's name. "He-he's dead now, I think. I-I felt him d-d-die. But then, I thought I died, too. As for General Kenobi, I don't know who you're talking about. He might be a relative of mine, but I don't know my family. The only family I know is dead now." He looked away, tears starting to form in his eyes. He was not going to cry in front of a room full of people he didn't know!  
  
The men turned and directed their attention to the man on the floor, who had just woken up. "Dr. Bellix, why do we have a fourteen year old when we should have a twenty-five year old?" Janson asked, his voice falsely sweet.  
  
Bellix stood up and stalked toward Obi-Wan, his eyes hard. He plainly did not like to have his creations cut in half. "What planet were you on when you were pulled, boy?" He demanded.  
  
"Borleias. We were on a mission to."  
  
"That's it!" Bellix groaned. "There's a default setting where it grabs the closest version of its intended catch if it's unable to get to the original age programmed in. The age you wanted must have been on the other side of the galaxy!"  
  
"That's great." Corran muttered. "Now we're stuck with a fourteen year old boy and a broken time machine." Voices broke out all over the room.  
  
Obi-Wan was rapidly getting annoyed. They were pumping him for information and then ignoring him. "WHAT IS GOING ON?! WHERE AM I? WHO ARE YOU PEOPLE?!" He yelled.  
  
All conversation stopped. Janson stepped forward. "I'll answer your last question first. I'm General Wes Janson, and these are General Derek "Hobbie" Klivian, General Wedge Antilles, Colonel Corran Horn, and Dr. Roph Bellix. Okay, you're on Borleias, and I'm going to let Colonel Horn here explain the first question."  
  
Corran glared daggers at Janson. "Thanks a lot, Wes."  
  
Janson shrugged. "It's only fair. One Jedi to another."  
  
Obi-Wan looked at the Colonel with new interest. What was a Jedi doing with a rank of Colonel? Jedi were forbidden to be part of the military! "You're a Jedi?" He demanded incredulously.  
  
"Yep. So, you knew Nejaa Halcyon?"  
  
"Knew?" Obi-Wan asked, confused. "He's still alive."  
  
Corran scratched his head. "Well, I hate to break it to you, kid, but my grandfather died a long time ago. Before I was born."  
  
"Nejaa Halcyon's your grandfather? His son was just born! Besides, he's not dead. I just saw him yesterday."  
  
Corran looked to his friends for support. " Sorry, kid, but your yesterday was about sixty years ago. That thing you gutted was a time machine."  
  
Bellix spoke up. "It is not a time machine! It's a chanra wave disruptor. How many times do I have to tell you that?!"  
  
Hobbie spoke up for the first time. "Don't worry about it. We'll probably be dead by tomorrow anyway, and then you won't care."  
  
Janson rolled his eyes. "That's Hobbie. Always optimistic."  
  
"WOULD YOU STOP GETTING SIDETRACKED?! WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?!" Obi- Wan yelled. These men were extremely annoying. None of them could stay on one subject for more than three seconds. And what was all this about a time machine, anyway? The boy was steadily becoming more and more perplexed, and Obi-Wan Kenobi did not like being confused.  
  
"Whoa. I thought Jedi couldn't lose their tempers." Wedge muttered, glancing at Corran.  
  
"They aren't supposed to, but hey, no one's perfect." He replied, turning back to Obi-Wan. "Okay, kid. Let's see here. I'm not entirely sure what I can and can't tell you, since even what you've learned this far could change the past enough to kill everyone in this room, but here goes. Kyp Durron is the Emperor. He took over five years ago after turning to the Dark side. Um, we're rebelling against him, and I'll let Wedge tell you the rest." He turned to his companion.  
  
Obi-Wan glared at the men. "How about if I ask questions, and you answer them? This is getting nowhere."  
  
Hobbie shrugged mournfully. "Sure. It'll be just as bad."  
  
Sighing, Obi-Wan began to pace. "First of all, what's this Durron guy's history? And how did he turn to the Dark side? Did any of you know him?"  
  
Corran looked up. "Actually, I knew him. After all, he knocked me out once when I made him really mad. His history? Well, he worked in the spice mines on Kessel until he was about sixteen, and then Han Solo broke him out and sent him to Luke's Jedi Temple on Yavin 4. He met this spirit of a dead Sith, who turned him to the Dark side in an effort to kill Luke. Nasty guy, that Sith. He came to me with the same offer and tried to kill me later on. Anyway, Kyp stole the Sun Crusher, a superweapon that could blow up whole star systems, and tried to use it to avenge his supposedly dead brother. So, he goes to Carida, and blows it up, only to find that his brother was on the planet. To make a long story short, Han and Luke managed to get Kyp back to the light side, since Kyp still thought of Han as his 'big brother', and then Kyp piloted the Sun Crusher into a black hole. He got back, Luke sent him to some weird temple on Yavin 4 to face his dead brother, and Kyp snapped. He turned back to the Dark side, stole a ship, killed the Senate, and captured Coruscant with an Imperial fleet. He's been the Emperor ever since."  
  
Obi-Wan blew out a breath. "All right, who's Han Solo, and who's this Luke? You say he has a Jedi Temple set up? What's it doing on Yavin 4 instead of Coruscant?"  
  
Corran winced. "Can't you ever ask just one question at a time? Han Solo's a smuggler who joined the original rebellion, and I'm not entirely sure if I should tell you about Luke."  
  
Obi-Wan massaged his forehead. "Why can't you tell me about Luke? Why are you people holding so much back? Why can't I get an honest answer around here?"  
  
"Why can't you ask one question at a time instead of always asking three in a row?" Corran shot back.  
  
"All right, then. If you're getting so annoyed, why don't you just give me a computer with the latest news on it and let me learn?"  
  
Wedge spoke up, trying to reason with the kid. "Look, if we do that and then send you back, you could really mess things up. I don't know about you, but I would rather not be responsible for messing with time so badly that I cause someone even worse than Kyp to take control. We're trying to filter out information about people you meet when you grow up."  
  
"So, you're saying that I'm going to meet this Luke when I grow up?" Obi- Wan asked, grasping at straws.  
  
Wedge froze, eyes wide. "Blast. I shouldn't have told you that."  
  
Obi-Wan grinned. "General, that's all the confirmation I need."  
Hours later, Obi-Wan collapsed onto his bed in his quarters and thought back over the past events. All he had really learned from the men was that he was going to meet someone named Luke when he was older, what happened in Kyp Durron's past, and that they had not meant to call a fourteen-year-old from the past. According to Corran, there weren't many Jedi around these days, but the older man had refused to say why.  
  
Now, Obi-Wan was faced with a real dilemma. His master was dead, he had no clue where he was, and a bunch of battle-hardened war veterans were asking for his help. He also had Corran Horn to consider. He was Nejaa Halcyon's grandson, and that alone was difficult to digest. He claimed to be a Jedi, and while he did carry a light saber and apparently knew how to use it, he didn't dress like a Jedi. Or act like any Jedi Obi-Wan had ever met. Except for Qui-Gon.  
  
Obi-Wan was finally able to let his emotions loose. Lowering his mental shields in a way that Qui-Gon had taught him to ease grief, he sent his emotions pouring through the compound, making anyone slightly Force- sensitive lift their heads and listen to the rush of raw pain flowing from him. Obi-Wan sat there for a few minutes until his grief was fully expressed, and then he quietly raised shields again, mindful of the tears running down his face, not realizing that every Force-sensitive in the base was crying with him.  
  
Hearing the door hiss open, the boy turned and saw Corran Horn leaning on the doorway. The older Jedi's eyes were overly bright as he pulled a chair from the corner and sat on it.  
  
"I never realized that you were hurting so badly." Corran whispered. "You should have told us."  
  
"Why?" Obi-Wan asked bitterly. "You already think that I'm an unruly child that you have to deal with because a computer made a mistake."  
  
"You really think that?" Corran asked, surprised. "I know Wedge. He would never have asked you for help if he didn't think that you could do it."  
  
"How can you be so sure?" Obi-Wan demanded. "Maybe he's just desperate."  
  
Corran sighed. "Look, I've flown with Wedge for years in Starfighter Command. He never sent a pilot into battle that he didn't already trust not to send a torpedo into his engines."  
  
"That's certainly a relief." Obi-Wan growled sarcastically. He frowned. "You were a fighter pilot?"  
  
"Yep. Before I became a Jedi. I was with CorSec before I joined the Rebellion."  
  
"But.Jedi aren't allowed to be in the military. And you can't be older than five when you come to the Temple."  
  
Corran winced. "Things have changed a lot since your day. The Jedi had to except all ages, or they would have been wiped out. Besides, I didn't know I was Jedi material when I was a pilot. I thought hunches were normal."  
  
Obi-Wan laughed. "Force visions? Normal? That's a first."  
  
"Hey, I didn't exactly grow up around Jedi." Corran said defensively. He opened his mouth to say more, and then shut it again.  
  
Obi-Wan sighed. "Yeah, I know. Another thing you can't tell me about." 


	2. Ch 2

Thanks for all the reviews I got on the first part. This is my first attempt at a Star Wars fic (if you don't count the dozens of unfinished ones sitting on my hard drive) and encouragement definitely makes the words flow. Reviewers - you gotta love 'em.  
Rebirth  
  
Chapter 2  
The next morning, planning began in earnest. Teams were being sent to planets sympathetic to the Rebellion to recruit for a desperate strike at Coruscant. Corran, Obi-Wan, and Hobbie were Team One, sent to a planet called Cej, a small world in the Outer Rim that specialized in making proton torpedoes. They were to try to enlist new recruits and see if they could convince the manager of the main torpedo plant to give them some proton torpedoes dirt-cheap. It wouldn't be easy, especially since the manager was known for being a real hard businessman. The only thing they had going for them was that he was not known to have any love for the Empire.  
  
Meanwhile, Wedge and Janson stayed behind and trained the new pilots.  
  
Team One left that afternoon on a small ship called the Star Play. Borleias was only a day's journey away from Cej, so they didn't have too long to wait before landing.  
  
{::::::::::::()))))))))))))))))))))  
  
Leia Organa Solo stared absently out the window of her home on Cej. In the playroom, she could hear her children, Jacen, Jaina, and Anakin, playing with a small droid she had given them to mess around with a year ago. The droid could now rival Threepio with his knowledge of languages, and it had many modifications that that model of droid was never meant to have. After all, cleaning droids generally did not have holo stations embedded in their eyes, or blasters in their fingertips.  
  
Leia turned her gaze to the spaceport, where a small freighter was landing. As was her habit when she was bored, she Force-scanned the crew. It was rather interesting to discover what kind of emotions the passengers had. There was the time that a cargo freighter had limped in after a pirate attack, and one of its occupants had been ecstatic at finally seeing pirates up close - despite the fact that the ship was about to attempt a crash landing.  
  
Searching the crew, she received no fear or exuberance. All she felt was a grim determination to do something and then get out. And then. someone familiar. Two someones, actually. The first she immediately recognized as Corran Horn. The other was harder to place. It felt like General Kenobi, and yet, at the same time, like someone entirely different. She glanced over at her children, only to see Jacen watching her intently.  
  
"What is it, Mom?" he asked. "You okay?"  
  
Leia smiled. Jacen was always good at picking up on her emotions. "I'm fine. An old friend just landed at the spaceport."  
  
Jacen frowned suspiciously. "How old? Do you mean Rebel old?" Han and Leia had let the twins and Anakin in on the secret of their pasts as soon as they were old enough to keep a secret.  
  
"Yes, I mean Rebel old. Corran Horn. Used to fly in Rogue Squadron." She gave Jacen a significant look. "He's a Jedi."  
  
Anakin's head swung around on the word Jedi. "What? Who's a Jedi? Where is he? Is he coming here?"  
  
Jaina's head turned toward her mother, too. "You mean there's a real Jedi coming?"  
  
Leia gave her daughter a mock glare. "And what am I, chopped nerf?"  
  
Jacen's eyes went wide with simulated surprise. "You mean you didn't know that? I thought it was common knowledge!"  
  
Rolling her eyes, Leia placed her hands on her hips. "Very funny, buster. To answer Anakin's questions, Corran Horn is a Jedi, he just landed on the planet, and I don't know if he's coming here. I doubt it. I think that answers Jaina's question, too."  
  
Frowning, Anakin asked, "Why don't you think he's coming here?"  
  
"Because, first of all, we are too well hidden to be found so easily, and second of all, I didn't sense that they were looking for us in their intentions," Leia replied.  
  
Jacen's eyes grew wide. "You used the Force? What if someone sensed you?"  
  
"I don't think they can sense little amounts. I didn't really use it; I just kind of opened myself up to it."  
  
"Oh." The children looked relieved.  
  
"Now. Clean up this room and get ready for your father to come home. I want your rooms clean by the time he gets here." She cast a hard look at Anakin. "And that does not mean shoving all toys and dirty clothes under your bed or into your closet."  
  
"Alright." Anakin sighed, defeated before the battle had even begun.  
  
{::::::::::::()))))))))))))))))))))  
  
Corran Horn strode confidently down the ramp of the Star Play. It was a beautiful day on Cej, with the sun just sinking behind the horizon, turning the sky into an artist's canvas. He stopped at the bottom of the ramp, waiting for the rest of his team. They arrived quickly.  
  
"Alright. We're going to meet this Veit guy at his house. Too risky to meet him at work. Hobbie, you got the address?" Corran asked.  
  
"Yep. Don't know what good it'll do, though. We're just going to get lost."  
  
"Don't be so pessimistic." Corran replied.  
  
"I'm serious. We don't have a map."  
  
"Blast!" Corran groaned. "We'll just have to do this the old-fashioned way."  
  
"Which is." Obi-Wan asked.  
  
"We ask for directions. Follow me." Corran led them outside the spaceport to a street teeming with life. He stopped at a vendor selling some kind of exotic fruit. "Excuse me, could you tell me where Runi Street is?"  
  
The vendor pointed down the street. "That way. Turn left at the first intersection, then take another left, and then a right, at the house with the green roof." He watched them hopefully, obviously wishing that they would buy some fruit.  
  
They didn't. Corran turned, signally his group to follow, and set out in the direction the man had indicated. The vendor gave them an irritated glare and turned to the woman behind him. "Offworlders."  
  
{::::::::::::()))))))))))))))))))))  
  
Leia heard the whine of a speeder as it pulled up outside and a smile crept onto her face. Han was home! She could see him getting out of his speeder and hear the children come stampeding down the stairs.  
  
"Dad's home!"  
  
Han came through the door and was immediately tackled by his three children. "Whoa, are you guys trying to kill me, or is that just a side benefit?"  
  
Leia grinned. "How was work?"  
  
"Terrible. One of the new kids dropped a proton torpedo and nearly blew up the whole factory. We were lucky one of the veterans caught it before it hit the ground. I swear, I thought being manager of a processing plant would be fun. I did not intend to get blown up in the process!"  
  
Leia gave him a peck on the cheek. "I think we need a vacation."  
  
Han snorted. "Since when do we have time for a vacation?"  
  
"We'll make time. You need to get away from work for a while."  
  
"Well." Han was interrupted by a knock on the door.  
  
Leia sighed. She had been so close! "I'll get it." She walked to the front door dejectedly. Just when she had been about to convince Han to take a much-needed vacation! She opened the door - and froze.  
  
"Corran?" She breathed.  
  
{::::::::::::()))))))))))))))))))))  
  
Obi-Wan stared at the woman in the doorway. She knows Corran? How is that possible?  
  
Corran seemed as surprised as Obi-Wan. "What are you doing here?"  
  
Leia glanced down the street. "Come inside. Our neighbors are nosy Imperial loyalists itching to make trouble. What in the galaxy are you doing here?"  
  
"Leia, you all right?" Han called from the living room. Leia could just imagine him getting his blaster ready. Five years as a proton torpedo plant manager had not softened his paranoia.  
  
"I'm.fine." She turned to her guests and seemed to see Obi-Wan for the first time. "So, the Alliance is that desperate, huh? And I thought I joined the Rebellion young. Since when do you recruit thirteen-year-olds? My kids aren't much older."  
  
Obi-Wan bristled. "I'm fourteen."  
  
"Well, then you're just their age. That makes little difference. I wouldn't allow my children to be Rebels that young."  
  
Corran sighed. "It's kind of a long story. Can we sit down?"  
  
Gesturing toward the living room, Leia replied, "Be my guest."  
  
They walked into the living room to see Han lounging on the couch, his hand out of sight on the other side of the armrest. Leia rolled her eyes. "Han, you can put the blaster away. They're friends."  
  
Han's arm came up, his holdout blaster in his hand. "Good."  
  
Leia collapsed onto the couch next to Han and gestured for her guests to have a seat. "Alright, explain. I know you two." She pointed at Corran and Hobbie. "But who's he?" She demanded, looking at Obi-Wan.  
  
Corran grimaced. "I guess it's time for formal introductions. Leia Organa Solo, meet Obi-Wan Kenobi."  
  
Leia gave the colonel an irritated look. "Very funny, Horn. I'm not in the mood for games. Who is he, really?"  
  
Corran rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm not kidding. We got a time machine and pulled him. We were trying for a twenty-five year old, but the computer couldn't find him. It pulled the closest Obi-Wan in time - him."  
  
"And you're letting him fight? He's too young."  
  
Obi-Wan stiffened. Corran gave him a warning look and turned back to Leia. "He's a Jedi. He can fight as good as anyone."  
  
Han broke in. "Now that we're all acquainted, how about we get down to business. Why are you in my home?!"  
  
Corran winced. "We're supposed to be asking the manager of the proton torpedo plant for some proton torpedoes cheap and we have to recruit new Rebels. We're making a strike for Coruscant."  
  
Han leaned back in the couch. "Well, are you going to ask me? The answer is yes."  
  
"You mean you're the manager? I thought we'd just gotten the wrong house. Didn't think we'd get that lucky."  
  
"Well, apparently you did. What's your recruitment plan?"  
  
Corran opened his mouth to reply, but was cut off by a yell from the back of the house.  
  
"Gotcha! Hey dad, you want to see my new Diniz snake?" Jacen called, running into the living room. "Oh. Oops, I didn't hear the door bell." He looked curiously at Corran. "Do I know you?"  
  
Corran laughed. "I assume you're Jacen Solo. I didn't think you'd remember me."  
  
Jacen eyed Corran suspiciously. "My name is Jacen Veit. Who are you?"  
  
Corran laughed. "Han, your son bears a striking resemblance to you." He turned back to Jacen. "I know what your name is, kid. I met you when you were about eight or nine years old. Your mother told me to watch out for you and your sister."  
  
Jacen turned to his mother, and she smiled. "Corran's a Jedi, Jacen."  
  
As if a magic word had been spoken, Jaina and Anakin appeared in the doorway. "Who's a Jedi?" Jaina demanded.  
  
Han rolled his eyes. "Here we go again. I told you not to fill their heads with stories!"  
  
Jaina rolled her eyes back at her father and then returned her gaze to Corran. "You're really a Jedi?" She breathed.  
  
Corran grinned. "In the flesh. Obi-Wan here's one, too."  
  
Jaina turned adoring eyes on Obi-Wan, then looked accusingly at Leia. "See, Mom, I told you I wasn't too young!"  
  
This time, it was Hobbie that interrupted the argument. "Um, shouldn't we be going? They need those torpedoes as soon as possible."  
  
Han nodded. "Right. I can get you into the factory tonight. We're too closely monitored to get them in the daytime. Can you pack them into your ship along with us?"  
  
"Han!" Leia cried.  
  
He turned to her beseechingly. "You know we have to. Once the Empire finds out about the theft, my factory will be crawling with Imps. It won't take too long to find out who I am. Besides, I can tell you've been itching to get back in the action."  
  
Leia cast a significant look at their children. Han winced. "They'll be all right. C'mon, you weren't much older when you joined."  
  
She glared at him. "That was different."  
  
"Oh, really? How is that?" Han demanded.  
  
"I was." she hesitated.  
  
Jaina and Jacen burst in as one. "C'mon, Mom, please?" They chorused.  
  
Obi-Wan spoke up hesitantly. "Uh, Mrs. Veit?"  
  
"It's Solo, not Veit." Leia interrupted.  
  
"Mrs. Solo, if we're going to get those torpedoes, it has to be tonight. Offworld visitors might draw too much attention."  
  
"He's right." Corran said. "You're being watched closely. Those neighbors of yours are probably more than they seem."  
  
Han ran his hands through his hair. "Okay. We'll need someone to take the kids to the ship. Leia, would you mind.?"  
  
She sighed. "All right. I'll let you boys have your fun. When do we leave?"  
  
"Tonight. Late. Does anyone work late at the factory?" Corran asked.  
  
Han frowned. "Just watchmen. Sometimes I come in at night to fill orders or do paperwork."  
  
Corran grinned. "Perfect."  
  
{::::::::::::()))))))))))))))))))))  
  
The entrance was flawless. Even Hobbie had to admit that. Han had the watchmen's route memorized, so they made it in without a hitch. Once they were in his office, Han went to work on the shipping manifests of cargo ships in dock, waiting for a shipment of torpedoes. From each one, he skimmed just enough torpedoes that it wouldn't be noticed, and then made a new manifest for the Star Play. With any luck, none of them would think to check the number they were getting. Grimacing, Han remembered something Obi-Wan Kenobi - the old one - had said. In my experience, there's no such thing as luck.  
  
"Here's hoping that old fossil was wrong." Han muttered as he systematically erased all evidence of his work.  
  
Obi-Wan prowled the corners of the room, trying to calm his jangling nerves. He had been trained as a Jedi, and one of the first lessons ground into him was to uphold the law. It didn't seem right to be stealing, yet these rebels acted as if it was the most common practice in the galaxy. Solo acted way too much like a smuggler, yet Corran had the feel of a security guard - albeit a Force-sensitive, sarcastic, and rebellious one. It seemed strange that the two of them worked together so well. He winced. Who was he to talk about strange? He wasn't even from this time.  
  
Solo straightened up from behind his desk. "Everybody ready? Let's go recruit some rebels. I know some local men that have been itching to give the Empire a roughing up." His face became mockingly sober. "Of course, they're not the sort a law-abiding citizen like me would hook up with. I'm too loyal for that." He laughed.  
  
Obi-Wan just stared at him. Corran was laughing along. "Feels good to be back in the action, doesn't it?" He agreed.  
  
"Old men and their games." Obi-Wan muttered. Corran rounded on him, still laughing.  
  
"I heard that, you scruffy little nerfherder. Who're you calling old?"  
  
Han joined in. "Hey, Corran, I thought I was the only nerfherder around here. Don't go stealing Leia's pet name for me." Both men seemed to find this hilariously funny - even Hobbie.  
  
Obi-Wan rolled his eyes. "Can we go now?" He complained. "I thought we wanted to leave as soon as possible."  
  
The men turned to him and blinked. "Right." Corran muttered. "Let's go." He started to open his mouth, then shut it again. "Yeah."  
  
{::::::::::::()))))))))))))))))))))  
  
Not many people would notice someone on a dark street in the middle of the night, but it's a little harder to go unnoticed when there's a large group of someones trying to do the same. However, it's a little easier with a few Force users involved - especially one that's good at influencing minds. Corran made sure that everyone was asleep before any of them crossed a street, and made anyone that was awake conveniently look the other way.  
  
But the day had been long, and he could feel himself slipping. It had been years since he had used the Force so powerfully, and about as long since he'd tried any late-night missions. Once, he almost didn't notice a little girl staring out her window until it was too late. He had to convince her that what she had seen wasn't important - she should just go to sleep.  
  
Before long, Obi-Wan noticed that Corran was lagging behind. He dropped back. "Do you need help?" he whispered.  
  
Grateful, Corran nodded and withdrew from the Force. Only a second or two behind, Obi-Wan took over.  
  
But that second had been more than enough. A shout from behind told them that they had been spotted. Obi-Wan chanced a look back. Just their luck - it was an Imperial!  
  
It soon became obvious that Corran was not going to make it as fast as they were going. Obi-Wan slowed until he was running beside the older man, then passed him his lightsaber. "Hold this." He whispered.  
  
Corran took it, wheezing. "Why."  
  
Obi-Wan smiled. "Don't want to clue this emperor in to there being Jedi, do we? Now, run!" He turned and ran toward the Imperial and his reinforcements.  
  
"No!" Corran yelled. He turned to run after the boy, but Han had noticed their predicament by now and pulled him away.  
  
"Leave him. You won't change anything by getting killed. We can help him later!"  
  
Obi-Wan mentally berated himself as he ran. What was he hoping to accomplish? At most, he could slow them down for a few seconds before they killed him. He could almost hear his Master's words in his head, "You need to learn better common sense, Obi-Wan!" It seemed so real, he almost replied before he remembered. Qui-Gon was dead.  
  
He had no time to allow the grief to surface, because at that moment he was on the Imperials. It was then that he realized the extent of his foolishness. These guys were in armor. All he had was his fists.  
  
Still, he made do with what he had. He never just focused on one stormtrooper; he made sure they were all busy so none could chase his friends or draw their blasters. It seemed to work. Seconds ticked away. Then, he turned to make sure his friends were gone - and instantly regretted it. Someone's fist slammed into the back of his head, and he dropped like a stone. He was still conscious, and he heard the men talking about him.  
  
"Should we kill him?"  
  
"Nah, we'll take this one in for questioning. Maybe something interesting'll happen. Sure be a change."  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
Hands lifted him, and then the pain was too much. Obi-Wan slipped into oblivion.  
  
TBC  
  
If you want more, I need feedback and possible ideas. My plot bunny has gone on vacation and I have no idea when it'll return.  
  
Sigil 


	3. Ch 3

I am soooo sorry about the long wait. No, this hasn't been abandoned, I've just been really busy. Of course, it didn't help that all my plot bunnies took a synchronized vacation. This is the result of what little time I have, so I apologize in advance for the shortness. Hopefully the next chapter will be longer, but no guarantees. Next week is free for me so far, so I might get it to you then.  
  
Enjoy!  
  
Chapter 3  
  
Back at their ship, Corran rounded on Han. "What did you do that for?" he demanded. "They're going to kill him!"  
  
Han looked at him without remorse. "No, they won't. Standard Imperial procedure these days. They don't shoot first and ask questions later anymore. Any suspected spies are taken in for questioning."  
  
Corran bristled. "So they're going to torture him. Great. That really makes me feel better!"  
  
Han opened his mouth to reply, but before he could Leia emerged from the ship. "Who's being tortured?" She demanded.  
  
Han rolled his eyes. "Nobody! Obi-Wan got caught and Corran's panicking."  
  
Leia frowned. "Well, if he's been caught, what are you doing standing here? Shouldn't you be going after him?" She turned to Corran. "And don't worry. They won't kill him. The Imperials here try to learn everything they can about their prisoners before resorting to torture or death threats."  
  
"See? I told you!" Han growled.  
  
Leia rounded on him. "And you! What are you doing just standing there?! Get busy rescuing him!"  
  
____________________________________________________________________________ __________  
  
Obi-Wan moaned softly as he returned to consciousness. Whatever he was laying on, it could not have been meant to serve as a bed. He kept his eyes closed, but that didn't stop sounds from filtering into his mind.  
  
"-will he wake up?"  
  
"Any time now, sir. There's no concussion, just mild bruising."  
  
"Yes, Doctor. Now, if you would. I'd like to talk to the boy myself."  
  
Imperial Intelligence Officer Etram Navcis watched the doctor leave, then turned back to the boy on the prison bunk. "I know you're awake."  
  
The boy didn't move.  
  
"Come now, boy, it's no use trying to pretend. Your eyes clenched and your breathing hitched. If you want me to believe you're asleep, don't be so obvious."  
  
Slowly, the boy sat up.  
  
"There, that's better. Now, what's your name?"  
  
The boy studied him for a moment, considering. "Ben."  
  
"Well, Ben, do you have a last name? And perhaps a reason for attacking Imperial troops after curfew?"  
  
"My last name's Kenobi, and the other is none of your business."  
  
Navcis considered. Kenobi. Better not to mention General Kenobi as a reason not to rebel. They might be related. "You wouldn't be thinking of joining the Rebellion, now would you?"  
  
Ben looked away.  
  
"How much do you know about what you're getting into?"  
  
Ben glared fiercely at the officer. "Enough. I've heard stories."  
  
"Oh, really? I suppose those would be stories about the glorious rebellion against the first Emperor and how much better life was afterward?"  
  
"Something like that." Ben muttered.  
  
"And of course, there's no mention of how corrupt that government is, and how much better life is under Emperor Durron, now is there?"  
  
Ben snorted. "That's why he has the Jedi on his side, huh?" he growled sarcastically.  
  
Navcis leaned back against the wall. "Ah, the Jedi. Once the protectors of the small. Now just meaningless rabble-rousers. They didn't tell you how terrible the Jedi have become, did they. One murdered six smugglers in cold blood, not counting the many Imperial citizens he killed as a fighter pilot. Corran Horn, I believe it was. He's not even the worst. However wonderful they once were, they've become bloodthirsty thrillseekers. I wouldn't wish a modern Jedi on my worst enemy."  
  
Obi-Wan stared at the man, horrified. Corran, a murderer? What else hadn't they told him? Maybe that's why Jedi were allowed to be in the military - they didn't care how bloodthirsty they became!  
  
Navcis smiled grimly. It was working. Now he just needed something to cement the idea in his brain. "The Rebellion even had a Jedi Chief of State when it overthrew the old Emperor. She was fine at getting what she wanted - just a little lightsaber waving, and anyone would do what she dictated. She wasn't against getting down and dirty with her troops, either. In the Battle of Endor, and most other battles, Leia Organa Solo killed just as many Imperial troops as her men did."  
  
Leia, too? It was almost more than Obi-Wan could bear. Everything he'd been told had been a lie. His 'friends' were all cold-blooded killers!  
  
"What about Rogue Squadron?" He heard himself whisper.  
  
"Rogue Squadron? Don't even get me started. They defied all laws when they wanted something done. Ysanne Isard was set up as the legal government on Thyferra, and Rogue Squadron went rogue and assassinated her. The government didn't officially sanction their move, but they didn't try to stop it, either. Wedge Antilles was too popular, and what he wanted, he got."  
  
Obi-Wan stared dully at the wall. /Where are you Qui-Gon? I don't know what to do!/ He pleaded silently.  
  
Navcis smiled grimly. Perfect. "I'm terribly sorry, Ben. But don't worry. We won't let you be taken. And if any rebels do try to contact you, just alert us and we'll deal with them."  
  
Obi-Wan nodded numbly, still staring at the wall.  
  
Grinning, Navcis left.  
  
____________________________________________________________________________ __________  
  
Please review! Chapters come easier with encouragement! 


	4. Ch 4

Once again, sorry for the shortness. Next one might be longer, since I've been planning it for quite some time. Thanks to everyone who reviewed, especially Aemilia Rose. If you haven't read her stories, do. Especially Star War of the Ring. I'm still laughing over that one!  
  
_____________  
  
Chapter 4  
  
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Corran crept silently down the streets of Cej toward the Imperial base. Somewhere out in the night, Han and Hobbie did the same. Their plan was simple - Corran would go in to get Obi-Wan while the others created a diversion. Corran wasn't sure what the diversion was going to be - but he knew it was probably something Han would never tell Leia.  
  
Sure enough, when he got to the service entrance, the others had drawn the guard away. Corran could hear their voices down the street, but didn't bother to see what they had done. Instead, he slipped inside, using the shadows as a cloak. No one was in sight. Even the droids were gone.  
  
To Corran's surprise, someone had stayed logged on to their service computer. While all it did was tell which rooms were to be cleaned, quite a bit could be deduced from that. Cleaning droids had just been scheduled that day to clean Prison Block AA23. There was just one person that could be - all the other blocks had been routinely cleaned for quite some time.  
  
Something began to nag in the back of Corran's mind. This was easy. Far too easy.  
  
____________________________________________________________________________ __________  
  
Navcis watched the scene on the security cameras. This was going well. Soon, Ben would be back among his friends - friends he would soon betray.  
  
Still smiling, he turned to the officer next to him. "I want the prisoner sleeping when they come for him. Give him a nice big dose of anesthetic. We don't want him waking up before they arrive at their Rebel base."  
  
"Yes, sir." The man tapped a few buttons, and gas filled Obi-Wan's cell. On the viewscreen, the boy sagged to the floor, overcome.  
  
"Good. Now clean air. I don't want his rescuer to pass out."  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
Navcis smiled. "This is going to be fun."  
  
____________________________________________________________________________ __________  
  
Once again, the corridors were clear. Now Corran knew something was wrong. Surely Han and Hobbie hadn't been able to stage THAT big of a diversion!  
  
Still, they had to get Obi-Wan out of here. He knew the location of the Rebel base. And even if he didn't, they couldn't risk having him fall into the Emperor's hands. The last thing they wanted was an evil Obi-Wan Kenobi!  
  
There weren't even guards outside the boy's cell. There was no lock on the door - all Corran had to do was touch the keypad, and the door opened. Inside, Obi-Wan lay stretched out on the floor.  
  
"Come on, kid." Corran said. "Get up. We have to go." This was beginning to smell more and more like a trap.  
  
Obi-Wan didn't move.  
  
Corran shook him. "Wake up!"  
  
No response.  
  
/Great. They drugged him./ Corran lifted Obi-Wan off the floor. He was remarkably light for a boy his age.  
  
Peeking his head out the corner, he saw that the corridor was still empty. No one was in sight. It was only a matter of a few minutes for him to return to the service exit and leave. He met Han and Hobbie back at their ship, and they weren't even challenged as they lifted off. Leia had recruited a few people while they were gone, and told them where to meet someone who would train them.  
  
All too easy.  
  
TBC  
  
Reviews are greatly appreciated! 


	5. Ch 5

Thanks to everyone who reviewed last time! You guys are the only reason I write. *wipes tear out of eye* You guys are beautiful! Thank you! (Yes, I'm in a very weird mood) Sorry for the shortness. Writer's block strikes at the oddest times....  
  
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Chapter 5  
  
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For the second time in one day, Obi-Wan awoke to the sound of voices. This time, however, the voices were familiar, but not at all welcome.  
  
"He'll be all right, won't he?" Jaina whispered.  
  
"Of course he will." This voice belonged to Corran, and Obi-Wan had to use an extreme force of will not to flinch. "He was drugged, not poisoned. He'll come out of it pretty soon. Now, why don't you go help your mom. We'll be landing soon."  
  
"Okay."  
  
Obi-Wan heard the door hiss open and footsteps trailing away, and then he was alone with Corran. Fury welled within him, and he opened his eyes.  
  
"Obi-Wan! You're awake!"  
  
Obi-Wan just glared at him. "You lied to me."  
  
Corran frowned. "What?"  
  
"You lied to me. You never told me you were a murderer."  
  
"Murderer? Why, because I was in Rogue Squadron?" He cocked his head. "What did they tell you in there?"  
  
"They told me enough." Obi-Wan looked away. "You said that everything was better after the Emperor died. Better for who?"  
  
Corran was taken aback. "For everyone. The Emperor ruled by fear. We took that fear away."  
  
"Took it away, or replaced it with a different kind of fear? So you decided who ruled what planet, who lived, and who died?"  
  
"Wait a minute, go back to the murderer part. Who did I murder?"  
  
"Six smugglers. Hacked to pieces." Obi-Wan looked disgusted. "Is that why you left CorSec? You were running from your crimes?"  
  
Corran burst out laughing. "That?" He saw the look on Obi-Wan's face and quieted down, but couldn't wipe the smile from his face. "You know, I ran into this exact same problem when I joined Rogue Squadron. I didn't kill those men; they never existed. I had to get away, so I faked reports about their deaths."  
  
"Why should I believe you?"  
  
Corran frowned. "You shouldn't, not without proof. As for how good life was after the Emperor's death, that's just my opinion."  
  
"Your opinion?" Obi-Wan snorted. "That's just a different point of view."  
  
"True. But it's many people's point of view, if that's the case."  
  
"People like who?" Obi-Wan demanded. "Your fellow Rebels? Of course that would be their point of view. It's what they're fighting for."  
  
Corran sighed. "What makes you think we're evil?"  
  
"I have seen rebellions before." Obi-Wan winced. "I have even taken part in one. Nothing comes from them but bloodshed. They do not change anything."  
  
"But we have changed something!" Corran frowned. "Okay, just for a while, but we can do it again." He paused. "We have to."  
  
"WHY? Why do you have to?" Obi-Wan cried. "I have seen no great suffering. The people on Cej seemed happy! Why take that away from them so you can rule?"  
  
"The people on Cej were only happy because if they weren't they would be suspects." Corran said viciously. "How well do you know happiness? Can't you feel beneath the current? Or have you experienced so little happiness that you assume to exist without battles is to be content?"  
  
"Have you seen so much bloodshed that you assume battles must be fought whether they are needed or not?" Obi-Wan snapped back.  
  
"Why do you think I want to rule?" Corran asked, calming down a bit.  
  
"Why else would you be fighting?"  
  
Corran looked disgusted. "Don't be stupid. You fought as a Jedi. Are you saying that every battle you fought was for power?"  
  
"Of course it wasn't. We were protecting the people."  
  
"Exactly!" Corran cried. "So are we. You are using Cej as an example, but that is hardly an average world. Cejians are notoriously happy people. If they can't do anything, they live with it." He hesitated. "Other worlds are not so lucky. It's like the Jedi Purges all over again, but it's not just Jedi they are killing."  
  
Obi-Wan's eyes widened. "Jedi purges? Who killed Jedi?"  
  
Corran groaned. "I shouldn't have told you that."  
  
"No, tell me!" Obi-Wan was horrified. "Who killed them?"  
  
"The former Emperor." Corran whispered. "And now Kyp is following in his footsteps." He winced. "You wanted to know what happened to my grandfather? He was killed in the Purges. I never knew him."  
  
Jaina popped in unexpectedly, surprising the two. "Dad says we're landing." She smiled. "Hi, Obi-Wan. So you finally woke up, huh?"  
  
"Uh, yeah." Obi-Wan muttered. He turned to Corran. "Look, I'm sorry. I didn't know..." He sighed.  
  
"It's all right." Corran smiled halfheartedly. "Just goes to show, you can't trust an Imperial."  
  
Jaina looked back in forth between them. "Right. I totally agree." She paused. "What are we talking about?"  
  
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Reviews are always welcome! 


	6. Ch 6

Sorry for the wait! I was making a website and got sidetracked. Hopefully I can write more soon, but I'm in a creative writing class, so my plotbunnies might all decide to migrate to that portion of my brain. If you have any ideas, random thoughts, or mindless muttering to do, please hit the review button and it might give me some ideas. (Yes, I'm desperate)  
  
------  
  
Rebirth  
  
By Sigil  
  
Chapter 6  
  
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That night, Obi-Wan crept silently through the Rebel base. He had been surprised to find his door unlocked. These Rebels were trusting people.  
  
Too trusting. Navcis' words still grated in his mind. Could he really believe Corran? What if the Jedi Purges were just a myth, and everything Navcis had said was true? The Imperial hadn't mentioned any Jedi killing.  
  
Then again, could he trust Navcis? Obi-Wan pressed his hand to his head. This was too much to think about. But soon. Soon he would have his answers.  
  
On the way to his quarters, he had passed a room full of computers. It was safe to assume that they would have access to the computer nets, and those should have information about history. Everyone but Navcis had been especially careful not to mention the very aspects of their history that would make him believe in their cause. Had he been such a key element that telling him could ruin the course of their history?  
  
Once again, the door to the computer room was unlocked. It wouldn't have mattered much to Obi-Wan if it hadn't been. He had picked up quite a few code-breaking skills from his less than respectable friends.  
  
He chose the nearest computer and set down to work.  
  
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Corran tossed and turned, unable to sleep. Obi-Wan's accusations ran over and over in his head.  
  
"Have you seen so much bloodshed that you assume battles must be fought whether they are needed or not?"  
  
The boy's angry face would not leave his mind. Was it true? Did he need the fighting? Those years on Corellia after Kyp took over had been the worst in his life. All day, watching the windows, waiting for the local militia to come. At the time, he had told himself he didn't want them to come.  
  
Now he wasn't so sure.  
  
It seemed the happiest memories he had were of the aftermaths of his various battles. Did he want that camaraderie so badly that he ran off to the first fighting force he heard of?  
  
No. Corran shook his head. He believed in what he was fighting for.  
  
But what if..  
  
He slammed his hand into the wall above his head, letting the awkward angle and hard wall shoot pain up his arm.  
  
Slowly, he stood. He needed to take a walk.  
  
Outside in the corridor, he headed for the control room. Perhaps watching the planets would clear his head.  
  
Before he got there, a glow from the computer room caught his attention. The door was still open, and inside was Obi-Wan, head cradled in his hands. The screen in front of him listed the known casualties of the Jedi Purges.  
  
Corran approached noiselessly and laid his hand on the boy's shoulder. "I'm sorry, Obi-Wan."  
  
Obi-Wan leapt to his feet, sending his chair flying to crash into the wall behind him as he batted Corran's hand away and adopted a defensive crouch. "They're dead. All of them."  
  
"I tried to tell you, Obi-Wan. Only a few survived."  
  
Hope lit the boy's face. "Master Yoda. He's not listed. It said earlier that he trained some boy, Skywalker. Did he live? Where is he?"  
  
Corran winced. "He died years ago. He was old."  
  
"And the rest?" Obi-Wan whispered, drooping. "Did any more survive?"  
  
"If they did, they went into hiding for good. No one has surfaced that I know of." Corran sighed. "And if they did, they'd be dead by now. That was a long time ago, Obi-Wan."  
  
Obi-Wan bowed his head, and when he raised it again his eyes were unnaturally bright. "Is this what you wanted to keep from me? Did you not want me to know that my masters are dead?"  
  
Corran shifted uncomfortably. "That's not the reason, Obi-Wan. You played a big part in the rebellion. If we told you what you did... It might not happen."  
  
Obi-Wan quietly picked up his chair and sat again, turning to the screen. "It said earlier that the Sith returned. Who were they?"  
  
"Darth Vader and the Emperor." Corran said cautiously.  
  
"I mean their real names. Surely they were not born with those titles. I have yet to hear of a man named the Emperor."  
  
"I can't, Obi-Wan. You knew them both."  
  
Obi-Wan glared at the screen. "If I knew them both, then why didn't I stop it? Why would I let my friends die?" He pointed at the list. "Half these names are of people I knew, children in the Temple! Why would I stand by and do nothing? Did I grow up to be a coward?"  
  
"You weren't a coward, Obi-Wan. You did what needed to be done. You couldn't be everywhere." Corran said quietly.  
  
"I'm going to bed." Obi-Wan said suddenly. At the door, he stopped and turned back. "I will help you, Corran." His expression was fierce. He hadn't felt this strongly since Melida/Daan. "This Empire will fall."  
  
TBC  
  
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Reviewers will get imaginary chocolate chip cookies! 


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